Slight inaccuracy in a statement on the Mayan Calendar

Summary:

There is a slight inaccuracy in one sentence in the artical on the mayan calendar.

Slight inaccuracy in a statement on the Mayan Calendar

Sebastian Unger (guest) 26 Nov 2009 23:40

Shouldn't the sentence "Therefore it appears that the Maya were comfortable with one Haab month falling in midsummer at one point, but falling in midwinter thousands of years later." really be "… but falling in midwinter 730 years later."?

Reasoning: The calendar did not use leap days, and therefor had an inaccuracy of roughly one day in four years. To shift a particular day of the Haab from midsummer to midwinter, a shift of half a year or 182.5 days, should take 4*182.5 or 730 years.

Re: Slight inaccuracy in a statement on the Mayan Calendar

ticktock 27 Nov 2009 01:04

That sounds right, thanks!

Bill was probably just using hyperbole. I am not certain that Bill is Certified on the Proper Use and Disposition of Hyperbole. Or he might have been taking Cold Medicine, where it clearly states on the package to Refrain from the Use of Heavy Exaggeration.

Personally, I stay away from the stuff and have told Bill to, too… thousands of times.

Re: Slight inaccuracy in a statement on the Mayan Calendar

Astrogeek 27 Nov 2009 02:46

No hyperbole, just my laziness and a bit of sloppy editing. I did not stop to double-check that statement.

As far as OTC medicine… I'm on so much prescription medication already that I try to stay away from the OTC stuff. I do have a stash of Vicodin left from my last neck surgery.

I'm getting to the point where I need one of those "old people" pill boxes, with spots for the day of the week and time of day. Getting old sucks.

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"Do you ever think about things you do think about?" - Henry Drummond to Matthew Harrison Brady in Inherit the Wind

Re: Slight inaccuracy in a statement on the Mayan Calendar

PoshNinja 27 Nov 2009 06:52

Don't feel bad, Astro.

After Thanksgiving dinner I popped three Vicodin due to a severe migraine, afterwords I couldn't feel a thing, I even stubbed my toe. Lol.

Re: Slight inaccuracy in a statement on the Mayan Calendar

Astrogeek 27 Nov 2009 02:39

Hi Sebastian;

Thanks for pointing that out! I'll make the change from "thousands" to "hundreds".

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"Do you ever think about things you do think about?" - Henry Drummond to Matthew Harrison Brady in Inherit the Wind